Part Nine
Part Eight
“I think maybe it’s those false pains you mentioned first. This doesn’t seem like the real thing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Considering how I haven’t had any of these false pains yet, pretty sure.”
“Camilla, you okay?”
Snitch was suddenly standing before her, and Camilla realized that she had not seen him coming. She was rather surprised that he could come to her so quickly.
“I think I’m having false pains.” She muttered, her voice slightly strained.
“False pains?” he repeated.
“They’re normal, Snitch.” Kay informed. “She’ll be fine once they pass.”
“Ya feelin’ okay, then? Or do ya wanna go home?”
Camilla had to admit that with the baby bearing down on her as it was, she was uncomfortable and wanted to go home. Resting in her bed would help make things easier. She nodded.
“I do want to go home.” She said. “I don’t really feel up to staying here anymore.”
“You take it easy.” Kay ordered gently. “If this is overdue, then you’ll need all the rest you can get.”
“I will.”
“I’ll hail a cab.” Snitch said, heading for the door.
As Fantasia gave Camilla a hand to her feet, a sudden uproar of groaning was heard from upstairs. Shortly afterward, Bumlets was coming downstairs, cradling Seven close at his side. Several newsies were following afterward.
“What’s going on there?” Kloppman inquired.
“Seven hurled.” Bumlets replied uneasily. “I’m takin’ ‘er home.”
“There’s a big mess up ‘ere.” Blink informed. “Got some rags so I cin clean it up?”
“You’re actually volunteering to clean up throw up?” Fantasia exclaimed, shocked.
“Someone’s gotta do it, it might as well be me.”
She grinned and hugged him. “I have never loved you more than I do now.”
Snitch came bounding in. “I got a cab.”
“You’re leavin’?” Bumlets asked.
“Yeah, I’m takin’ Camilla home.”
“Can we ride with ya? Seven jus’ threw up an’ I’m takin’ ‘er to th’ doctor.”
“You will do no such thing.” Seven stated firmly. “Take me to Aunt Diana’s. She’s had experience and she won’t charge us.”
“You cin ride with us.” Snitch agreed. “I’ll pay. I got money.”
“Thanks so much.” Bumlets breathed, relieved.
Snitch took Camilla by the arm and led her outside while saying his goodbyes to his friends. Bumlets did the same as he led Seven to the cab. He allowed Snitch to help Camilla in first, particularly for being in her condition. Then Snitch helped Seven in and the men climbed in afterward.
Seven’s Aunt Diana lived a few blocks from Camilla’s home. Since her home was closer than Diana’s, Snitch and Camilla were dropped off first. Camilla said her goodbye and wished Seven well. Snitch paid the driver’s fee for the entire ride, including that of Seven and Bumlets’s. They waved goodbye as the cab drove off.
“So whaddaya think this is ya got?” Bumlets demanded as the carriage began to roll.
“I told you a hundred times over, it’s probably only influenza. I used to get it all the time.”
“Then why would it come back now?”
“I don’t know. I guess it just lasts longer as I get older.”
“Havin’ this go on ‘n’ off for a couple weeks is somethin’ to worry about.”
“You worry too much. I’ll be fine.”
They arrived at Diana’s house shortly. Seven went to the door first to announce their unexpected arrival and Diana greeted them warmly. Yet her greeting was short, for Bumlets interrupted her by telling her of Seven’s situation. Almost instantly, Diana ushered them inside for her to tend to Seven.
She took her niece to a bedroom and locked the door, leaving Bumlets pacing outside the door. Something deep in the pit of his stomach gave him worry like he had never known before. Just knowing that the woman he loved was ill made him feel uneasy. How could he be so careless to allow something like this to happen to her?
It seemed like forever before Diana finally emerged from the room. Her face was completely expressionless, but it was clear that she was desperately trying to hide something.
“How is she?” he demanded while nibbling on his fingernails.
“Go inside.” She replied softly. “She’ll tell you everything.”
‘I knew it.’ He thought. ‘I knew it! She’s really sick. Oh God, please don’t let it be too serious!’
Diana closed the door behind him when he entered, but she hadn’t followed. She had left him and Seven alone, giving him more reason to worry. Then he saw Seven sitting on the bed in the room, her hands folded and a blank look on her face. She saw him and fought some expression fighting to be seen on her face.
“What’s wrong? How bad is it?” Bumlets began questioning fretfully.
“I don’t know how to say this.”
“Say what?”
“Aunt Diana…she knew what was wrong…it’s something we weren’t expecting.”
“Of course it is! So lemme know what it is! Ya know I’m worried about you, please, jus’ tell me!”
She stood on her feet. “Will you promise to calm down?”
“I don’t think I can till I know what’s wrong.”
“Then brace yourself. You’re not going to believe this.”
His eyes grew wider. “Ya…are ya gonna die?”
“No!” she was almost laughing now, and he could swear he saw tears in her eyes. “Would you please let me say what I need to?”
“Jus’ do it ‘n’ get it over with!”
“If you say so.” She paused. “I’m-”
“Quit stallin’!” he interrupted. “Jus’ spit it-”
“I’m pregnant!”
That look on his face was one that Seven would never ever forget in her entire life. He looked as though he had been clubbed in the face and was completely clueless about how to react to the blow.
“Say that again.” He choked, obviously not believing what she said.
An enormous grin spread across her face. “I’m going to have a baby!”
One thousand thoughts crossed his mind with that one statement. How was he supposed to react to news like this?
“Say something.” Seven said, almost afraid of his reaction.
“Right now?” he forced.
“Yes!”
“Ya mean…ya got a…kid growin’ inside of ya?”
“Yes!”
“An’ I’m gonna be a…a daddy?”
“Yes!” she was nearly ecstatic at this point. “You’re going to be a daddy.”
“Oh Moses.” He muttered as he dropped to the floor.
Diana was halfway down the stairs, listening to how Seven was going to break the news. Then when she heard the thud and Seven shrieking for her, she flew back up the stairs to find Seven, crouched down, trying to shake an apparently fainted Bumlets off the floor. It was difficult for Diana to keep from laughing.
“I take it he was completely shocked.” She finally managed.
“Do you think he’s okay? I mean, he was totally shocked!” Seven exclaimed worriedly.
“He was just probably completely unprepared for this. Are you strong enough to help me get him onto the bed?”
“I think so.”
“Good. You take him under the shoulders, I’ll get his legs.”
Together, they hefted him onto the nearby bed and set him down carefully, hoping he would awaken. But he didn’t even stir.
“Well, there’s only one thing left to do.” Diana muttered. “Rachel, stand back.”
“What are you going to do?” Seven wondered.
“Something that’s sure to wake him up. Just get some towels from the closet.”
Seven did as she was told while her aunt went downstairs. When Seven finally had the towels, Diana returned with a china pitcher in her hands. She glanced at Seven once.
“Stand back.” She warned.
Once Seven stepped backward, Diana sloshed freshly pumped water at Bumlets. He awoke with a start, sputtering and gasping.
“I told you it was sure to wake him up.” Diana beamed.
“What’d ya do that for?” Bumlets demanded.
“Well, you weren’t waking up, and you always throw cold water on a person who’s fainted. That, or take smelling salts.”
“Are you okay?” Seven asked, handing Bumlets the towels.
“I just had th’ strangest dream.”
She giggled a bit as Diana left the room. “Tell me about your dream.”
“I dreamed that ya told me you was gonna have a baby.”
A blush of pride filled her face. “Are you sure it was a dream?”
His eyes widened. “Was it a dream?”
“Will you promise not to faint again?”
“So that’s what I fainted from?”
“Of course, silly!” she ran her fingers through his damp hair. “And it’s true. Aunt Diana told me that our baby’s gonna come in about late August or early September.”
“I’m…actually gonna be a daddy?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa.” He leaned back against the soaked pillow and mattress. “I can’t believe it.”
“How does it make you feel?”
He sighed. “God only knows.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”
“It’s true.”
“No, I jus’ can’t believe all this.” He touched her face. “I knew when I met ya that you was everythin’ I ever wanted. An’ ya give me absolutely everythin’ I ever wanted. An’ now you’re givin’ me even more.”
“Well, to be honest, it wasn’t on my agenda.”
Tears filled his eyes. “Wasn’t on mine, either. But it’s…it’s…”
“It’s what?”
“Th’ one thing I knew was gonna make me a real man. I mean…I always wanted t’ have kids. I know you did too. And now we’re havin’ one an’…” he sniffled. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” She bent down and kissed him quickly.
* * *
“I want this thing out of me!” Camilla shrieked. “It’s been two weeks overdue and I can’t take it anymore.” She glanced at Snitch. “Why is this taking so long?”
Snitch rolled his eyes. Ever since Camilla’s baby had been a week overdue, she had said the same thing every day. It had only been three days, but it was still beginning to rub off on him. If only she would just shut up! Of course, she was still very pregnant, but she needed to know when to stuff a cork in it.
“There, there, princess,” Harry said soothingly, “you don’t have to worry about a thing. Everything will be fine. Once it’s over, everything will go back to normal.”
Snitch squirmed uneasily in his chair as he and Camilla exchanged glances. Neither of them had had the courage to tell him of their decision, or of Camilla’s options for when her baby was finally born. Thankfully, that seemed to take her mind off the baby and her being overdue.
He couldn’t help but notice the more noticeable physical changes to her body now. She wasn’t going to be that skinny girl anymore, but would now have markings of a woman. And that was what she was now. She was going to be a mother. He knew she would want to keep her daughter when she was born, and if she did somehow give the baby up, she would fall to pieces.
“Camilla, ya wanna go for a walk?” he spoke up rather suddenly.
She appeared rather startled by his question, yet somehow pleased in another manner. Sighing, she smiled softly and nodded.
“I’ll do anything to get out of here.” She said, struggling to gain her balance onto her feet.
Harry helped her steady herself and Snitch went to the hall closet to fetch her coat and hat. Once she was ready to go, he put on his own hat and coat and held the door aside for her. She made it very public that she was relieved to be out of the house when an enormous puff of steam emerged from her sighing mouth.
“It’s awful stuffy in there, don’t you think so?” she questioned.
“A liddle.” He muttered. “How ya feelin’?”
“Above all, nervous.” Her hands spread across her fully bulging stomach to where kicking was occurring. “I can’t stop thinking about my baby. If she’s overdue, will that mean she’s got something wrong with her?”
“I dunno.”
“I think most of all, I’m scared of what I’m going to feel when I finally give birth.” She glanced at Snitch’s face. “Would it be so terrible if I held her in my arms and said I would take her and never ever give her up?”
“It wouldn’t be a terrible thing. You’re a mother now. If ya feel it’s your responsibility t’ take care of your girl, then do it.”
“But you’ve never been around pregnant women before.”
“Ya forgot about Kay.”
“All right, but you didn’t spend too much time around her.”
“I know. But I know ‘nough that when she had ‘er baby, she was never ever gonna give ‘im up.”
“Don’t forget my circumstances though. I keep wondering if my baby will look like me or her father. If she looks like her father, will I be constantly reminded of what happened to me?”
“An’ what if she’s as beautiful as ‘er momma?”
She blushed slightly. “I still wonder if even then I can look at her and not be able to forget what happened.”
He took her hand in his. “Or maybe ya’ll love ‘er so much that it won’t matter t’ ya at all.”
“There’s that.” She squeezed his hand. “You’re so good to me.”
“When do ya wanna tell your papa ‘bout us?”
“Soon. Before the baby’s born. Papa can take the news easier then.”
“So when do ya think th’ baby will come?”
“If she doesn’t come soon, I’ll rip your arm off.”
She grasped his hand tighter and twisted it in the wrong direction. He shrieked at her strength, but played along very carefully so not to hurt her.
“If I shout uncle, will ya lemme go?”
She grimaced slightly. “Shout it loud.”
“Uncle!”
“I can’t hear you!”
“I said uncle! Is that loud enough?”
She released his arm and fell back a step. When Snitch regained his balance, he looked her way to find her pale and still, her hand placed directly over her stomach.
“Camilla?” he asked.
“This is it.” She sucked in a quick breath. “This is it!”
“Now?”
“Yes!”
“Are ya sure? I mean, it’s not one of those fake ones, is it?”
Her eyes squeezed shut and she gritted her teeth. “There’s more pain involved. I think this is it, and I mean it.”
“C’mon, let’s get ya back home.” He hooked her arm through his and led her back down the street. “How ya feelin’?”
“Something’s not right.” She replied quietly.
“Whaddaya mean?” Terror clubbed him in the back of the head.
“There’s too much pain involved.” She gritted her teeth again. “I don’t know, but something’s not right.”
“In what way?”
“In a…maternal way.” She paused with tears began to pour from her eyes. “We need to hurry!”
* * *
